Castle Rock Falls–Saratoga Gap Viewpoint, 8 sights is a 13.2-mile out-and-back in Sanborn County Park near Saratoga, CA. The route passes Lake Ranch Reservoir, Lyme Disease Rock, Parking Lot Rock and Castle Rock Falls before reaching Saratoga Gap Viewpoint at the turnaround, 6.6 miles in. It climbs 2,850 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 34/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,450 – 3,156 ft · steepest grade: 21%13.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Ambrose Road 37.22160, -122.04738
Nearest town Saratoga, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Castle Rock Falls–Saratoga Gap Viewpoint, 8 sights
13.2 mi · ▲ 2,850 ft · 5 hr 49 min
Elevation 1,450–3,155 ft
Out & Back · Sanborn County Park
Trailhead: Ambrose Road · 37.22160, -122.04738
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 93°F / low 72° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:15 AM · sunset 8:15 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start on Ambrose Road, heading W.
- 1 miPass Lake Ranch Reservoir.
- 100 ftBear right onto John Nicholas Trail, heading W.
- 1.7 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Skyline Trail, heading SW.
- 2.3 miPass Lyme Disease Rock.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Castle Rock Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miPass Parking Lot Rock.
- 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 150 ftSharp left onto Saratoga Gap Trail, heading NW.
- 0.5 miPass Saratoga Gap Viewpoint.
- 450 ftReach Castle Rock Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miSharp right onto Castle Rock Trail, heading NE.
- 100 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Skyline Trail, heading S.
- 2.4 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto John Nicholas Trail, heading NE.
- 1.8 miBear left onto Lake Ranch Trail, heading N.
- 0.9 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
39% dirt61% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 93°F72°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity45%
Hourly temperature
95°70°
Sunrise 6:15 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue
89°70°
Wed
90°53°
Thu
101°51°
Fri
102°58°
Sat
103°60°
Sun
100°51°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.6 mi in (~190 min). Leave by 4:45 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Ambrose Road Trailhead
- Lake Ranch Reservoir & Ambrose Road via John Nicholas Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 514 ft
- Castle Rock–Balancing Rock, 7 sights 11.8 mi · ▲ 2,353 ft
- Parking Lot Rock–Lyme Disease Rock, 8 sights 14.1 mi · ▲ 2,912 ft
- Shady Rock–Platypus, 9 rocks 15.1 mi · ▲ 2,981 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Saratoga, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Saratoga, California